Ara is a three-track 8-minute mini-EP that spans a wide emotional and sonic range across three compositions, illustrating S. Salter’s evolving language of composition, which is detailed, emotive, and increasingly expansive in scope.
Piano and production textures intertwine
Ara is a three-track 8-minute mini-EP that spans a wide emotional and sonic range across three compositions, illustrating S. Salter’s evolving language of composition, which is detailed, emotive, and increasingly expansive in scope. A project by Amsterdam-based British artist Samuel Ruddick and Berlin-based Swiss artist Jeremia Reichen, this music places the piano at its core, with electronics used as subtle enhancements that add layers, texture, and droning color. The result is a luxuriously sparse journey into dreamlike realms of electronic art—beautifully unhurried and immersive.
Opening track “Parts of Town” immediately sets the tone, drawing the listener into a cinematic world of orchestral textures and evolving dynamics, from a repeating phrase to a military snare beat, horns join for the march through town, there are kids playing in the street nearby. As the piece unfolds, layered arrangements build toward a restrained yet powerful climax, with brass entering to lift the track into its final movement before it slips away almost as quickly as it began.
“Ara” follows as a brief, drifting interlude—fragmented and suspended—bridging the intensity of the opener with the warmth and richness of closing track “Sunday in Bloom.” Slow tall crystals forming ringing piano sparkles forming transparent layers of sound, here there is much bigger space to echo about in, while as ever nothing is urgent, everything is proceeding in delicious lazy afternoon time, just angels comfortably dozing. Piano and production textures intertwine to create a more expansive, reflective space, rounding out the EP’s emotional arc.
In the three years since their acclaimed debut album Juun, S. Salter has steadily built a distinct presence. Alongside a live EP from their performance at Nxt Museum in Amsterdam and a contribution to Nils Frahm / Leiter Verlag’s official Piano Day compilation, Jeremia released a rework of their own track “Grove,” while Samuel composed the solo piano elegy “Robins.”
Ara is available on Bandcamp and Apple Music.
